Accidental Travelers
by Bumbling Mage's Apprentice
Summary: Due to the carelessness of one of their members, four friends are thrown into the forgotten realms. Will they survive and prosper? Or will they die in a dungeon far before their time? Rated T for now, rating is subject to change. Reviews are welcome.
1. Ritual Failure

_**So here it is, the prologue of my first story here on this great story-sharing site . I hope you enjoy it.**_

* * *

Ashley was deep in the throes of the spell she'd found. In hindsight she should have probably deciphered the full context of the spell she was casting before casting it. But it was a bit too late for that. The ebon-haired sorceress in training was fully locked into the ritual, the words of the spell being drawn forth from her lips by the spell's own power. This was the very reason she'd asked to be tutored in magic by her mother. To feel the energy of the universe pulse through her very being. It was a euphoric high that made the rigorous study and intensive ( and often painful) rituals worth the effort.

She was truly heart broken that she couldn't share this feeling with her friends.

_Line Break_

"Morning Mrs. Kernick." Alex said as he waltzed through the kitchen door. Marion Kernick, Ashley's mother, was hardly surprised. Alex had a habit of walking in when least expected. He was followed by Eric and Rachel. These three formed the center of Ashley's friends.

Alex was the most athletic of the trio. He was an offense player in the local Lacrosse team, making him extremely tough and accustomed to pain. He had golden blond hair and a handsome face to go with his muscles. This was all offset by his somewhat subpar academic skills.

Eric was faster moving by nature. A parkour enthusiast, he had dark brown hair and mischievous green eyes along with a slim, wiry body. He spent more of his time in the forest than anywhere else. So he had a better understanding of nature than the others.

Rachel was probably the calmest one out of the bunch. Her parent's were both martial artists and buddhists, so she often acted as the voice of reason amongst the group. Keeping the peace when Eric and Alex got into one of their spats. On occasion, she also showed her competence with her fists when someone got out of line. The results were never pretty. She had long dark hair tied in a tight bun behind her head and contemplative brown eyes along with a toned figure.

"Morning Alex, Eric , Rachel." Marion said calmly as she sipped her coffee. Getting a "Sup." and a "Good Morning." from Eric and Rachel in response.

"Is Ashley up yet?" Alex asked.

"Yes, although she hasn't left her room yet. Feel free to go up and wake her." Marion said as she returned to her coffee. Alex and the others walked off towards the stairs. Eric was poking fun at Alex like he always did. Rachel quietly padded off after the two boys, always ready to intervene if they got to roughhousing.

They had no idea what they were in for.

* * *

Ashley had reached the final moments of the spell. Coursing energy crackled around her as she all but shouted the final arcane words of the ritual. She was about to hit the last, almost orgasmic high of the ritual when the door to her room was flung open by Alex. Who was barreling into her room in an attempt to help. He was closely followed by Eric and Rachel. They had all heard her screaming, they just had no idea the unintelligible screaming she had been doing had actually been the last words of a major spell.

They had walked into the most critical part of the spell. For you see, the spell she hadn't translated fully was a planar shift spell. More colloquially known as a dimensional jump. The point they had entered the room was when anyone wanting to hitch a ride on the traveling mage's wake would join the spell. Once you step in, you can't step out.

A whirling vortex of energy opened in the ceiling of the room, and all four occupants started to lift off the ground, being drawn in slowly but surely. Ashley, instead of freaking out like Alex and Eric were or trying to grab onto a solid object like Rachel was. Instead, she grabbed her satchel from her bed. Which contained most of her arcane paraphernalia. A few minor pieces were spread around her room but she didn't have time to grab them. With a flash, all four teenagers disappeared into the vortex. Which closed behind them.

* * *

Marion dropped her coffee cup and ran upstairs, feeling the flare of a completed ritual in the flow of magic. She was too late though, by the time she had gotten to Ashley's room, the vortex had closed. Instead of wasting time, she immediately searched her daughter's room, Ashley's satchel was missing and it appeared that Ashley had been wearing the robe Marion had enchanted for her. The enchantment's woven into the robe made it tougher than plate armor. But what scared Marion the most was that the remnants of the ritual indicated it was a planar shift. And Ashley hadn't learned anything about Planar shifting, specifically that she needed to learn about the specific energies of her home plane so she could get back.

Marion felt tears begin to stream down her cheeks. There was nothing she could do to help her daughter. As she didn't know which dimension Ashley had gone to. Or if she had even set a destination.

Ashley was on her own.

* * *

The castle was old.

Very old.

It was born in the days of Netheril. When humanity's cities and fortresses floated across the skies, and served as a fine guardian of the outer edges of the empire. Until the day the great works of Netheril's magi failed, and it fell from the sky.

Millenia passed and humanity returned, a young lord came to the fallen bastion and built his home atop the ruins. People came to the lands surrounding the new fortress and settled there. A nation forming from the ashes of the past. But it was not to be. Wild orcs savaged the land and slaughtered the people, feasting off the burnt carcass of the lord's land as was their way. The broken fortress remained as a testament to the fallen nation. Until a new ruler came and made it his home. And such was the cycle. Some group came and built a home here. They were destroyed. And the castle once again became a ruin until the next group came along.

The cycle had ended though, no more would settlers depart their safe havens. For the lands the castle once occupied could no longer support good folk. A great desert had formed, burying the ruined buildings until only a lonely stone tower remained. While many rooms of the most recent buildings filled with sand, the lone tower formed the only safe entrance into the extensive complex of ruins beneath the fallen castle.

In the lowest room of the old Netheril bastion, where once a great orb had shown like a sun. A vortex tore itself into existence, depositing four unwitting souls onto the cold stone floor.


	2. Arrivals and Kruthiks

Rachel woke up first. She groaned as she sat up and opened her eyes. She certainly wasn't expecting the sight that lay before her. She lay in a heap of her friends, all of whom were still unconscious, in the middle of a grand room. Rachel thought the place was a ballroom with a massive domed ceiling at first. Until she saw the shards of crystal that littered the exact center of the room. Some of which still glowed with a dull blue light. The blue glow was supplemented by crystals in the ceiling, which made it look as if the room was open to the night sky. The lack of wind or clouds indicated that wherever they were, they were certainly not outdoors.

Rachel pulled herself to her feet, hearing a muffled groan from Alex when she accidentally kicked him in the side as she got to her feet, she didn't need to check his vitals. She stepped over the sprawled sportsman and pressed two fingers to Eric's neck, feeling a steady pulse. Satisfied that the prankster still lived, she moved over to Ashley, who was curled around a satchel. Rachel felt a surge of anger at the sorceress for bringing them wherever they were now. But she suppressed it for the time being, no point in being angry without reason. Rachel knelt down and gently placed her hand on Ashley's pale neck. Feeling for the subtle beat of life. Ashley's pulse continued to beat it's steady rhythm.

Alex was stirring from his place on the cold stone floor next to Eric. Groaning as he awoke. Rachel walked over and offered the dazed boy a hand, which he gladly took as he struggled to his feet. Looking around in wonder at the softly lit room. He asked an important question.

"Where are we?" Alex asked as he rubbed his side where Rachel had kicked him.

"I don't know, Ashley is still out cold, so we have no way of knowing for now." Rachel replied evenly as she went over to shake Eric awake.

"What do ya mean? Did Ashley kidnap us or something?" Alex asked, as he still hadn't looked around.

"I'm afraid that the situation is a bit more... strange then that. Look up." Rachel said as she began to vigorously shake Eric awake, who let out a strangled scream at his violent awakening.

"What the heck?" Eric all but shouted as Rachel let go of him and moved to awaken Ashley.

"Eric, look up." Alex said with a faraway tone to his voice.

"What?"

"Look up."

"Fine, I don't see why I should... OHHH." Eric said as realization dawned when he gazed skyward. "This... This redefines awesome"

"Yeah. I gotta say, best kidnapping ever." Alex said with a massive grin as he looked upon the crystalline ceiling.

"We were kidnapped? I'm thinking this was a surprise mandatory vacation." Eric rationalized.

"I agree, this is the coolest place ever."

"You two do realize that we may be stuck on another world without a way to get home right?" Rachel said as she straddled Ashley and gripped her shoulders. Sighing internally as she remembered the pair's love of fantastic architecture.

"...Worth it..."

"...Definitely..."

"Oh I give up." Rachel said as she began shaking Ashley awake. The thin sorceress sputtered and flailed about at the shaking.

"What? Who? Where?" She choked out as she found herself pinned to the floor.

"Calm down. We have something we need to talk about." Rachel said as she loomed over Ashley.

"Could we talk about it without you straddling me?"

"Absolutely not." Rachel said forcefully, which caused both of the group's boys to take notice.

"Why is Rachel sitting...?" Eric tried to say before Alex covered his mouth.

"Do not spoil the possible Girl-on-Girl action or I will never speak to you again." Alex threatened, having not known any lesbians or even bi-curious girls in his life. He was sorely lacking for Girl-on-Girl action.

* * *

In the depths of the ruin, the swarm awoke. They had slept for untold seasons, waiting for warm blooded prey to return to this desolate place.

They were awake.

They were hungry.

* * *

"Now, Ashley. What exactly were you doing when we happened to walk into your room." Rachel said from her place on Ashley's belly.

"Using magic...?" Ashley said in a questioning voice.

"Yes, we all realize that. What spell were you using?" Rachel said quietly, with an added measure of 'No Lies' to boot.

"I didn't fully translate the spell's name. But it was supposed to open a window into a different plane of existence. I swear I didn't know it was a transport spell." Ashley said hurriedly, not wanting the others to think she did this on purpose.

Rachel stared Ashley down for a long time before accepting what she had said. Ashley stood from her straddling position and stepped away from Ashley, offering a hand to help her up. Which Ashley gladly took. Secretly, the girl was rather relieved that Rachel had gotten up when she had as she'd been getting uncomfortably... _warm _underneath the other girl. As Ashley stood and brushed herself off she found herself hiding a light blush while being subjected to a small flurry of questions from the boys.

"So do you know where we are? What world are we on? Does Reality still apply? How long have you been doing magic?" and on and on the list of questions continued. The questions would have gone on for eternity had the foursome not heard an unearthly roar. At the far end of the room, a small swarm of horrible looking four legged insects came charging at the group.

The four stood and stared in shock as the beasts began to close the distance, until Rachel broke the silence.

"Ashley, if you have any combat spells, get casting. Eric, come with me, were going to grab some of those crystal shards, if were lucky some of them will be sharp enough to fight with. Alex, protect Ashley."

Ashley nodded and pulled her spell book out of her satchel, flipping through it until she reached a rather explosive spell. Alex stepped between her and the swarm of insects, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. Eric and Rachel took off at a dead sprint, covering ground at a breakneck pace as they made for the pile of crystals in the center of the room. Hoping to grab weapons.

Ashley chanted as fast as she could, even as a portion of the insects split off to fight Rachel and Eric. Runes formed in the air and glowed with destructive power. As the insects closed the gap and Alex raised his fists, ready to fight. Ashley finished her spell. A plume of fire erupted in the middle of the swarm of insects, sending bugs everywhere, most of them trailing flame. One insect landed next to Alex, chittering weakly. He saw the sword like legs it had and acted quickly, he grabbed onto on leg and planted his foot on the bugs carapace. With a great heave he yanked the bug's blade leg off and held it up like a baseball bat, ready to do some damage. Another bug, trailing flame, charged at Alex only to get a talon slash through it's armored skull. Killing it instantly. By that point, the other surviving kruthiks had shaken off their momentary disorientation and screamed shrilly all charging Alex and Ashley, chittering with rage. But Ashley had finished another spell, and a cloud of ethereal daggers formed in mid air. With a final arcane word and a sharp stab of a finger, the cloud of daggers flew at the bugs, impaling many. Two remained standing, both of which launching themselves at the sorceress who had killed so many of their kin. Alex intercepted one, his stolen talon smashing into the creature's own blades. While the other ran past and threw itself at the sorceress, who dropped her spellbook and reached into her satchel. Pulling out a pole of wood with a long blade on the end and handles built into the poles sides. Ashley swung her war scythe as hard as she could, hoping to catch the kruthik in mid air, but only succeeding in knocking it down. It quickly righted itself and sprang at the sorceress again, talons out for the kill. Ashley moved backwards while making sweeping slashes at the things legs, trying to bring it down. But to no avail, the kruthik got within her guard and cut a long gash in her leg. Ashley cried out in pain but kept moving, not wanting to get caught by the bug any more then she had been hit already. She smacked it in the face with the handle of her scythe, dazing it long enough to skewer it on her scythe.

Meanwhile, Eric and Rachel were running for their lives, trying to avoid the kruthiks nipping at their heels. The pile of crystal was in reach. But the Kruthiks were too close, there were only eight of them, but that was still too many for the two humans. Rachel made a decision then, one that might lead to her death. She turned around and charged the kruthiks while Eric kept running. Eric would have turned around to help, but he knew he was useless without a weapon, so he kept running. Rachel took but a moment to focus herself, then threw a devastating roundhouse kick at the lead bug, cracking it's armored carapace and sending it flying. Having no time to gawk at what she just did, she threw an open palmed strike at the second bug, propelling it backwards and into a small cluster of it's fellows. She grabbed the talons of a third kruthik and flipped it over and smashing it into the ground behind her. Leaving it dazed.

Eric reached the pile of crystalline shards and began to search through the smaller shards. Eventually pulling out a long spear like spike of crystal. The crystal, despite having shattered on the floor, was surprisingly sturdy. It would do for now. Eric spun around and stabbed a kruthik where it lay on the floor from being thrown by Rachel. He planted a foot on the dead kruthik and yanked his spear out. Coming forward to stand beside Rachel with his spear brandished before him. The remaining kruthiks gathered in a half circle around the two teens, sword like talons waving as they chittered and clicked amongst each other. Rachel and Eric stared them down, waiting to see who made the first move. Two of the kruthiks skittered forward, slashing with their talons. Rachel jumped over her kruthik and brought her heel down on the bug's back. Cracking open it's carapace. Eric simply stabbed forward, his spear smashing through his kruthik's face. Killing it instantly. Eric once again planted his foot on the kruthik's carapace and yanked out his spear. He also received a gash in his side when an opportunistic kruthik slipped in from the side and slashed him with it's talons. Eric grunted and turned to face the kruthik and smashed it with the pole of his spear, sending it flying. Rachel smashed aside another of the bladed insects and crushed it's skull with a well timed curb stomp. One of the bugs snuck up behind her and slashed Rachel across the back, opening two massive rents in her back and sending her to her knees with a cry of pain. Eric spun to help his friend and stabbed the kruthik through the side. Killing it while drawing attention to himself. The remaining three kruthiks refocused on Eric, charging him as he ripped his spear back out of the monster and stepped back into a defensive stance. Keeping his center of gravity low and his spear ready.

The first kruthik came from the side slashing with it's talons, only to receive the butt of the spear to the side of it's head for it's troubles. Knocking it backwards. The second and the third charged at the same time. Forcing Eric to step back while he tried to slash and stab with his spear. But these kruthiks were clever, using their talons to block the jabbing spear while taking measured slices at Eric whenever they thought they had an opening. Eric managed to land a few glancing slashes and stabs on the kruthiks. Eventually bringing one of them down. But that just forced the last living kruthik into a frenzy, allowing the insectoid monster to get a number of hits in on Eric.

It was getting harder for Eric to hold on to his spear as his hands became slick with blood, the cuts on his arms slowly weeping blood. Eric was a mess now, his jeans were badly torn and soaked with blood. His light green shirt being turned darker from an occasional slice that had got past his guard. His vision turning splotchy red from the blood running down his face from a cut on his brow. He was getting tired, but he was going to win this if it killed him. So Eric spat out some blood and threw as much as he could behind his strikes and stabs as he began to push the kruthik back. Eventually, he caught the bug's leg and sent it crashing down to the floor. With an animalistic roar, he stabbed his spear down through the bugs head. Killing it. The fight was done.

Eric looked up now, seeing Ashley and Alex coming towards him at a run. Ashley pulling some sort of vial out of her satchel with one hand while carrying a strange weapon in one hand. He deduced that the vial was some kind of potion. Perhaps a healing potion. That would be nice, because he seemed to be loosing his sight. Did the potion cure blindness? That would be nice. Being blind right now would be really bad. Why was it so hard to string a thought together? Oh, right, bleeding out here.

Eric crashed to the floor, finally loosing consciousness. Being mindful of her back injuries. Rachel struggled over to where he was lying on top of the dead kruthik. Checking to see if her friend was still alive. Thankfully he was still breathing, though his pulse was weak, and getting weaker. Ashley reached the pair and flipped Eric over, opening his mouth and pouring half of a vial of strangely colored liquid. Nothing happened for a moment, but then Eric's wounds began to close up. After a moment, anyone looking at the teen wouldn't be able to tell (apart from the blood and ripped clothing) that Eric had been hurt.

Rachel looked up to Ashley, only to see the remaining half of the vial being held out to her. Rachel took it gratefully, quaffing the vial in one gulp. The potion had a delicious taste to it, hot chocolate mixed with cinnamon. It was also incredibly warm going down her throat, like good whiskey. The warmth spread throughout her body, eventually spreading to her back and mending the terrible cuts there.

"You have healing potions?" Alex asked after seeing the effects of the strange liquid.

"I'm a practicing magic user. Can you think of a good reason for me to NOT know alchemy?"

"Good point, sorry I asked."

"Don't be, I only have three more vials of this. I just hope we won't have to use them"

"Important question though. Are we stuck here?"

"For the foreseeable future? Yes."

"Well shit."


	3. Figuring Things Out

"So, where are we anyway?" Alex asked from where he sat upon a dead kruthik. Eric was still out of commission and Rachel still had trouble moving, so the group had decided to wait till everyone was at a hundred percent.

"Heck if I know, I've been trying to scry this place, but I'm just not getting anything useful. This place's defensive wards are insanely powerful." Ashley said from her spot on the floor, where she'd been preparing for anything that might come their way. Mostly by flipping through her book and marking certain pages for spells that may come in handy. Her war scythe lay on the floor next to her. Freshly sharpened and oiled, ready for battle.

"Wards?" Alex asked.

"Permanent magical effects. Some of them stop certain things from happening, like scrying. While others keep things from entering or affecting areas their cast on. Some even cause things to happen."

"Like...?"

"Remind me to tell you about the vaudeville field when we're not in mortal peril." Ashley said with a grin as she closed her book.

"Sure... oh look, he's waking up. Eric, welcome back to the land of the living." Alex said congenially as he stood from his seat. Moving over to help a groggy Eric up from his place on the floor.

"Dude... what happened?" Eric said as he finished the process of awakening.

"You lost a lot of blood my friend. If it weren't for Ashley, you'd be on a cloud strumming a harp right now." Alex said as he pulled Eric to his feet.

"Well, um... thanks I guess." Eric then noticed the strange spear like weapon sitting beside Ashley. "Where did you get that?"

"My mom made me learn to use a weapon, in case someone got too close for comfort." Ashley said as she picked up her war scythe. "Plus, I enchanted it to burst into flame."

"Would you mind showing us?" Rachel asked as she pulled herself to her feet. Without a word, Ashley twirled the blade twice in her right hand and brought the haft down into her left hand in an almost stylized pose. The blade of the scythe burst into flame as she brought the scythe down.

"Well, at the very least we'll never lack a torch." Eric snarked from the side. A moment later the silence was broken by a dull thud as Alex smacked the joker upside the head.

"Ow! Hey, watch the brain cells. I've only got so many of them!" Eric snapped indignantly as started rubbing the back of his slapped skull.

"Too bad you don't have more." Rachel deadpanned to the laughter of Alex and Ashley. Eric blushed at the teasing and turned to stomp away from the group, only stopping to pick up the crystalline spike he'd used for a spear earlier that day.

"Aww, come back Eric. You know we mean no harm." Ashley said pleadingly as her laughter subsided.

"Fine." Eric said with a dramatic flair as he turned around to grin at the group continued to laugh and jest for awhile, before growling stomachs alerted them to the harsh reality of their situation.

"Yeah... We're going to need some food soon." Alex said as he rubbed his stomach absently.

"Think we could eat these... what are these things?" Rachel asked as she gestured towards the insectoid monsters.

"I looked them up in my traveler's handbook. Their called 'Kruthiks'. Should be safe enough, just cook them like you would a crab." Ashley informed them as she put away a big book in her deceptively spacious satchel.

"I have a better solution. Ashley, your a mage right?" Eric asked.

"Yeah...?" Ashley answered hesitantly.

"And you know magic right?" Eric questioned.

"What about it?"

"Couldn't you like... make food? I mean, the mages in World of Warcraft make food all the time." Eric finished, looking supremely pleased with himself. Ashley sighed with exasperation. Games like that made a mockery of the Art.

"No, I can't just make food. Sorry, but I'm not a conjurer." Ashley responded, trying to not sound condescending.

"Awww. Well, better to find out now then later." Eric responded, dejected.

"I do, however, have an item that might help us out." Ashley said as she pulled a wicker picnic basket. Delicious smells radiated out of the plain basket. Everyone's mouths watered as Ashley set the basket on the floor. With a flourish, she opened the basket, causing food to miraculously appear on a blanket that radiated out from beneath the basket.

"What didn't your mom give you." Rahel asked as the two boys wordlessly dug into the picnic spread out before them.

"A lot of things. I've got a few enchanted items to help with survival, but the potions and the basket of plenty are the only things other people can use. Everything else is set to work only for me." Ashley responded as she nabbed a ham and turkey sub sandwich from the blanket.

"Well... at least we won't starve to death." Eric said through a mouthful of sandwich. They all sat quietly and ate for a few minutes, only slightly perturbed that they were eating using the dead kruthiks as seats. Alex decided to break the silence.

"So Ashley, how many different types of magic are there?" Alex asked after taking a swallow of some of the water the basket had provided.

" Oh where do I start. There are literally dozens of different practices of magic. All of them work, they just take different methods to get working. For example, Chrisitan Black magic requires a connection to a demon of the nine hells while the magic of the Aztecs requires Human sacrifice." Ashley said as she put her sandwich down for a moment.

"So... I'm just gonna go out and say it, what type do you practice?" Eric said after the uncomfortable silence that followed Ashley's admittance of the existence of demons.

"American Wizardry. It's a tradition that developed from the cultural melting pot of our country. American Wizardry is the magical tradition that most closely relates to the type of wizardry you see in movies." Ashley began in a lecturing tone. "We use everything from arcane language to hand gestures to rituals. Making American wizards the most versatile of any magic user. The downside is that we can never really focus on one specific type, so we can never pull off the same power as pure magic users of different traditions. I'll never be able to perform the same rituals as a theurgist. Or speak the same spells as an Egyptian priest. But I can use most magical traditions and methods to some degree of success." Ashley lectured as she finished her sandwich.

"So your a jack-of-all trades when it comes to magic?" Eric asked.

"Essentially."

"Well, as interesting as that was. Is there a limit to how many times we can use that basket? I'd rather not find out the hard way." Rachel asked as she stood from her kruthik corpse seat.

"Yes, we can only use it six more times." Ashley said quietly as the sudden realization of their limited resources struck hard.

"Well, looks like we have to find a way out of this ruin. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to push my luck here. These bugs must have found some way in here, I just hope we don't have to dig our way out." Alex said as he stood and dusted himself off.

"Yeah, it shouldn't be that hard to find a way out." Eric said as he grabbed his spear and got up. Rolling his neck and stretching, the now-energetic spear man set off for the far side of the room with Alex in tow. Rachel stayed behind with Ashley to help pack up the basket of plenty before the girls set off after the boys.

Their adventure had begun, for as Lao Tzu once said. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

* * *

The group had left the star dome far behind, now traveling through the slowly collapsing tunnels of the ruin they were trapped in. The group's current plan was to track the kruthiks back to where they'd come from and hopefully find a way out from there. However...

"You know what just occurred to me? Those things might have come from a nest or something. If we keep following this tunnel, we could end up... in... a... nest..." Alex said as they walked through a doorway, into a room filled with eggs and the high-pitched chittering of young kruthiks. Whatever the room might have been in the past, the place was fully converted to the use of the kruthiks.

Long swaths of the floor had been pulverized into sand, serving as bedding for the masses of soft leathery eggs that kruthiks no doubt hatched from. Cat sized kruthiks wandered about the room, fighting and playing amongst themselves and the eggs. A hideously large kruthik wandered amongst the eggs, watching over the eggs till they hatched.

"Okay everyone, now we quietly make for the rear exit." Alex whispered as the whole group turned to retreat, but Erik tripped over his own feet and came to the floor with a crash and a yelp. The egg room, which had been filled with the happy chittering squeals of young kruthiks, now became dead silent.

Yeah, this is a problem.

* * *

**_Yeah, swarming is a-coming. Will our intrepid group survive?_**


End file.
